Allopurinol-induced aplastic anemia in a patient with chronic kidney disease

Clin Nephrol. 2009 Feb;71(2):203-6. doi: 10.5414/cnp71203.

Abstract

Aplastic anemia is a rare complication of allopurinol use. We report an unusual case of aplastic anemia associated with allopurinol therapy for hyperuricemia in a patient with chronic kidney disease. A 37-year-old female patient diagnosed with Stage III chronic kidney disease was admitted with pancytopenia. She had a history of taking allopurinol for 5 months. Her bone marrow showed extremely decreased cellularity (< 20%) and there was no malignant cell infiltration. She was free of infections, including parvovirus B19, cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus. These results suggested a diagnosis of aplastic anemia. Allopurinol was discontinued immediately and treatment with blood transfusions and prednisolone was begun. After 6 months, the bone marrow cellularity improved to approximately 70%. Recently, it was suggested that decreased activity of multidrug resistance P-glycoprotein may play a role in acquired aplastic anemia. So we measured the inhibitory effect of allopurinol and oxypurinol on P-glycoprotein activity. But neither allopurinol nor oxypurinol inhibited P-glycoprotein activity.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Allopurinol / adverse effects*
  • Anemia, Aplastic / chemically induced*
  • Anemia, Aplastic / therapy
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / complications*

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Allopurinol